Cochrane Art Club's 67th Annual Fine Art Show and Sale a Huge Success - Thank you!

It has been a week since the 67th annual Cochrane Art Club Fine Art Show and Sale at the Cochrane Ranchehouse held May 2 and 3rd. I had to take some time to process what an incredibly humbling experience this show was for me.

I challenged myself to paint 10 new works for this show this spring and a real challenge it was. Some nights found me at 3am dancing and painting in my studio with paint in my hair (and on my toes ha ha!). If you look at the painting titles you can guess who I was listening to ha ha!

We never know what to expect for our annual May show. We may have snow, we may have sunshine (that's why they call it May!). We had glorious warm weather and 600ish patrons came to view our works. We also had record breaking sales for our club.

6 of my 10 new works sold at the show on the first day and the emotional reactions of my new collectors took me by surprise and evoked such a strong reaction in myself it took me this whole week to process. I had a young lady in her 20s who had such a strong response to one of my paintings that I knew she just had to have it, regardless of cost. The fact that she came to an art show vs a department store to view art is something I felt deeply. I hope she enjoys her piece for years to come. Interactions like this keep inspiring me to keep painting :)

Complex Post Traumatic Injuries make an event like this difficult for me. I tend to hibernate and have a hard time sharing my art with the world due to so many past traumas and self doubt. I work very hard to psych myself up to face people (and criticism which is all part of the art world). The wonderful people in my life, my supportive husband, and the talented artists at CAC have truly changed my life and made this possible. Grateful cannot encompass how I feel. Art has been a huge part of my healing journey and every person who comes to view our art, hear our stories or comments (even the lady who said my pieces were too dark and she didn't like them - that's okay, art is personal!) to the collectors who loved my work and took them home, are a part of that.

My next show is the Vale Greenhouse Cultivation of Art being held June 19, 20 and 21st at 301 - 3rd Street NW, Black Diamond. There will be an Artist's Reception on Saturday, June 20th from 1 to 5pm so come view some gorgeous plants, art work and chat with me and the other artists in attendance. I will be painting mainly some new floral works for this show but if there is anything specific you would like to see, let me know! Our Cochrane Art Club Small Works show and sale will be November 7th at the Cochrane Alliance Church so please save the date. Again, just a huge thank you!